Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on citizens to work from home, avoid international travel, and refrain from buying gold as the US-Israeli regime's war on Iran drives up global energy prices and strains India's foreign exchange reserves.

Modi made the appeal during a public event in the southern city of Hyderabad on Sunday. He urged people to shift to online meetings and adopt the work-from-home model used during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that such practices would reduce fuel consumption.

Additionally, Modi encouraged the use of public transport and carpooling to save fuel. He called on families to cut cooking oil consumption, describing it as both healthy and patriotic. The prime minister also asked farmers to reduce fertilizer use by half.

"In the current situation, we must place great emphasis on saving foreign exchange," Modi said, explaining his rationale. He had earlier compared the economic crisis spawned by the conflict to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oil prices have surged due to the war, with Brent crude rising from $72.87 per barrel on February 27 to $105.45. Iranian attacks on Gulf oil and gas facilities and restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global energy supplies.

India's foreign exchange reserves stood at $690.69 billion as of May 1, down $7.79 billion from end-March and sharply lower than the pre-war level of $728.5 billion on February 27. India is the world's third-largest oil importer.

In the last financial year, India imported crude oil worth $123 billion and gold worth $72 billion. Indians spent $31.7 billion abroad. Modi urged cuts in gold and travel spending, as oil and fertilizer imports are essential for the economy.

Source: www.aljazeera.com